Obama to Letterman on racism: “I was actually black before the election”

posted at 8:01 pm on September 21, 2009 by Allahpundit

A sneak preview of tonight’s heart-on-the-sleeve backslapping; skip ahead to 2:08 for the key exchange. Probably The One’s best statement to date in distancing himself from the left’s racial demagoguery — especially his reminder that the country did, after all, elect him president — but, as usual, there’s no teeth in it. His point about other presidents having faced populist demagoguery, especially in times of economic upheaval, is well taken (although Kaus’s analysis is more trenchant), but where’s the reprimand for the many, many leftist bottom-feeders who stooped to racial accusations in lieu of a moment’s thought? For a guy who fancies himself above the fray and eager to start a national conversation on race — or so he (disingenuously) claimed in the famous speech about Rev. Wright — he’s awfully shy about seizing the opportunity to set the ground rules.

Update: One further thought on heart-on-the-sleeve Dave: How fitting that a guy whose comedy so often seems so passe would wait until there’s a Democrat in the White House to embrace his liberalism fully. The money and ratings are in opposing the president, not defending him, chump. Ask Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann.